PHOTO: ODT FILESThe Dunedin City Council is set to start work on an almost $20 million extension to an Otago Peninsula cycleway and shared pathway with the construction of a new boardwalk. The council last week put out a tender to construction companies for a planned boardwalk between Portobello Boat Club and Portobello township. The plan comes after councillors last year voted 9-6 to include the unfunded parts of the ‘‘Peninsula Connection’’ project in the council’s nine-year plan. The tender documents said it was intended for the boardwalk to be similar to others on the peninsula, including the one at Raynbirds Bay. ‘‘Residents on the peninsula in Portobello and beyond have experienced years of road closures and traffic management delays for construction of other stages of the peninsula cycleway.’’— Allied Media

An angry Dunedin dog owner allegedly grabbed his dog by the throat and threw it through a glass door because he was ‘‘frustrated’’. The dog's owner, a 30-year-old man, told police he had ‘‘gotten frustrated at his dog’’ while trying to feed it. He then grabbed his dog by the throat and threw it through a glass panel door, smashing the glass, he said. The dog was found, unharmed, in the area a short time later, Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said. Sgt Lee said the investigation into the incident was ongoing, and the dog was soon found, unharmed, in the area.

Two people were taken to hospital both in a moderate condition after a house fire in Concord, Dunedin, yesterday. The ‘‘well alight’’ blaze was contained by fire crews using four fire trucks and an aerial appliance. A Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) spokeswoman said the house was ‘‘well alight’’ by the time crews arrived about 10.50am. A man who is believed to be the homeowner is comforted while firefighters tackle a fire at 49 Stevenson Rd in Concord, Dunedin, yesterday. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONA witness reported ‘‘some aggressive behaviour’’ towards firefighters, who were asking bystanders to move away from the smoke.

After the crash, 630 metres of the legacy barriers were replaced with a flexible barrier system due to the damage caused by the collision. A total of 5533 metres of the legacy barrier system remains, which the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says receives maintenance when required. She also acknowledged that in other cases, modern median barriers have successfully prevented heavy-laden trucks from crossing into oncoming traffic. Photo / SuppliedIt also proposed to “programme the prioritised replacement of legacy barrier systems” with currently approved barriers taking into account location, specific risks and available funding. Mills, however, said it was clear the legacy barrier systems were now inadequate in today’s environment, particularly with the increase in heavy vehicles using the state highways.

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Dr Matthew Schmidt from the University of New Haven joins Ryan Bridge to discuss the latest on the conflict in Iran. Video / Ryan Bridge TODAY

Photo: Google MapsA Southland gold mine that could produce more than $50 million of the precious metal a year has been given the go-ahead. Waikaka Gold Mines Ltd has received consent from the Gore District Council and Environment Southland to operate a mine near Waikaka, about 20km north of Gore. Four sections of the Waikaka Stream and Shepherds Creek will be diverted temporarily, before being returned to their current alignment. Consent conditions include that the working area of the mine not be any bigger than 20ha at any one time and that the total area not exceed 100ha or 50m deep. That gives us confidence this is robust and stands up.’’Significant emphasis was placed on protecting the Waikaka Stream and Shepherds Creek.

Photo: ODT filesA field of 14 candidates will contest the Dunedin City Council by-election to pursue the seat left open by the death of councillor and former mayor Jules Radich. Nominations closed yesterday and the list included three people who had not previously announced their candidacy - Angus Mackay, Ange McErlane and Gordon Dickson. Photo: suppliedMs McErlane pointed to her experience of having worked at the council and lately being on the West Harbour Community Board. If she were to win the council seat, a by-election would be triggered for the community board. The by-election field includes a series of former city councillors.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONThe five-year delay between the opening of the new Dunedin hospital’s outpatient building and the inpatient building will lead to a multitude of staffing and operational issues, a bombshell government report says. The report says the outpatient building will be completed in July and then have a 10-week ‘‘handover’’ period. However, it could face staffing issues, logistical issues if staff were ‘‘split’’ across two buildings and funding issues if money was not made available for contingencies in the handover. ‘‘But now there’s a five-year gap between the opening of outpatient building and the other building. So how do you make that function effectively?’’There did not appear to be a proper staffing or recruitment plan for the opening of the outpatient building and beyond, Ms Dalton said.

Delegates to the United Fire Brigades conference in Dunedin. The secretary (Captain Watts) referred to the question of securing exemption from drill for volunteer firemen. A. Flesher remarked that he believed there were such individuals as sub-editors.”Mr Flesher’s belief in this respect is verifiable. They exist, carrying a burden of secret sorrows and multifarious responsibilities beneath which men not to the manner born would stagger. Lady Dalrymple then gave an interesting address as to origin, aims, and objects of the Girl Guide movement.

On ODT Fashion Chat brought to you by Property Brokers we get behind the scenes of Dakota Boutiques Fashion in the Field on the Otago Racing Club's $million day. We bring you the glitz and glamour of the catwalk and find out who is off to Auckland next week to represent us at the biggest race meeting of the year at Champions day. It's a must see.

Photo: Google MapsA Southland mine that could produce more than $50 million of gold a year has been given the go ahead. Waikaka Gold Mines Ltd has received consent from the Gore District Council and Environment Southland to operate a mine near Waikaka, about 20km north of Gore. Four sections of the Waikaka Stream and Shepherds Creek would be diverted temporarily, before being returned to their current alignment. Consent conditions include that the working area of the mine not be any bigger than 20ha at any one time and that the total area not exceed 100ha or 50m deep. There was significant emphasis placed on protecting the Waikaka Stream and Shepherds Creek.

The Manawanui ran aground in Samoa in October 2024. Photo: Profile Boats / suppliedCharges have been laid in relation to the loss of Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui, off the coast of Samoa in October 2024. One officer faces a charge of negligently causing a ship to be lost and a second faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost. A third officer faces a charge of negligently permitting a ship to be lost, or in the alternative, negligently failing to perform a duty. In addition, the third officer faces a charge of negligently failing to perform a duty.

Sophie Moore underwent extensive treatment for a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. Photo: GivealittleA Christchurch detective, who was raised in Gore, has died from a rare form of blood cancer, just days after marrying her "soulmate". Detective Constable Sophie Moore, 29, died on Thursday, February 26, less than three years after she was diagnosed. Sophie was first diagnosed with peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2023 and underwent 10 rounds of chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants to treat the rare, aggressive blood cancer. By September last year, the cancer was in remission and Sophie and Koryn were back in New Zealand.

Gajzago, who was the command supervisor on the bridge, has been charged with “negligently permitting a ship to be lost”. It is alleged he failed to properly supervise the third officer and ensure the ship avoided the reef. The court found the Navy’s own preparation and sign-off system failed to ensure the ship was properly ready for the task. The inquiry criticised both the ship’s level of preparedness and the Navy’s shore-based system for approving and readying ships for missions. In the days that followed, attention focused on environmental risks from fuel and debris, salvage operations, and the diplomatic implications of a New Zealand warship lost on a Pacific neighbour’s reef system.